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Review - Just Remember to Breathe (Thompson Sisters, #2) by Charles Sheehan Miles

Just Remember to Breathe - Charles Sheehan-Miles

Alex Thompson’s life is following the script. A pre-law student at Columbia University, she’s focused on her grades, her life and her future. The last thing she needs is to reconnect with the boy who broke her heart.

Dylan Paris comes home from Afghanistan severely injured and knows that the one thing he cannot do is drag Alex into the mess he’s made of his life.

When Dylan and Alex are assigned to the same work study program and are forced to work side by side, they have to make new ground rules to keep from killing each other.

Only problem is, they keep breaking the rules.

The first rule is to never, ever talk about how they fell in love
.

 

Just Remember to Breathe was an engaging read about Alex and Dylan, two young people who must overcome youth, distance, their childhoods, their families, the effects of war and PTSD(on Dylan), and sexual assault (on Alex) to find happiness. After a shattering break-up just prior to Dylan being injured in Afghanistan, Alex and Dylan are reunited when they are assigned to the same work study job at Columbia University. Even though they are both badly scarred by the events of their past relationship and the events of their lives, they ultimately "set some rules" that allow them to work together, which ultimately leads them to having a second chance at their relationship.

Told in alternating points of view, Sheehan-Miller does a fabulous job writing dialogue and capturing the inner-monologue of the characters that is so realistic it feels that his characters have become friends. Although flawed by circumstances of their past, both Alex and Dylan have an inner-strength that shines through while also showing a tender vulnerability to not only each other, but to the events that have shaped their lives. Never was their a time during this book that I found myself thinking that "these things don't just happen in real life" - the entire story, which included so many instrumental reveals of each of the character's history, was written so well, the characters could easily be real. The supporting characters were also equally engaging and added an additional dimension to this love story - offering small glimpses into their own lives which Sheehan-Miller masterfully wove into Alex and Dylan's story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it! Looking forward to reading more from Charles Sheehan-Miller.